Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
AMONG THE ANCIENTS
‘Was it tough, learning how to drive? I wish I knew how to do it.’
‘No, it wasn’t too bad, my lady.’ Sophie keeps her focus on the road, turning the wheel as the huge coach curves through the woods.
‘Oh, okay. And it’s Emelia.’ I knew it would take time for things to feel comfortable between me and Sophie, but hadn’t expected it to be so awkward.
It’s the second day of our journey. We drove for a few hours through the night, stopping at Seven Alpha, where my parents and I viewed the damage from the attack.
There wasn’t much to see; a few broken walls, already being rebuilt.
I stared out at the moonlit sea, trying not to think about floating bodies.
It was odd, on reflection. Why would Reapers attack houses near the shore, rather than closer to the Great Forest?
And why was Michael so insistent that it wasn’t Reapers?
I hate that I can’t stop thinking about him.
We returned to the coach in silence, and I slept for a few hours before waking to daylight, and the coach already moving.
I fed, then slipped into the cockpit, greeting Sophie as I took the other seat, excited by what I might see.
But after several attempts to start a conversation, all of which left me feeling as though I was somehow saying the wrong thing, I ended up just staring out the windscreen at the grey ribbon of road, the forest a dark wall either side of us.
I get it, though. This must be a strange situation for her.
If I were a vampire, I wouldn’t be sitting with her during the day.
And if I were any other human on this trip, I’d be working, just like she is.
I feel ashamed of my perceived idleness.
But telling her about the Challenge, or my worries about taking the crown, or basically anything to do with my life feels impossible.
Being human in my world is burden enough; me complaining about my privilege is not what she needs.
I remember asking my mother if I was the only one. Now I know I’m not. But I’m still alone. Laurel was a friend, but part of me wonders how much of it was because she felt she had to be. Kyle was … he was someone I loved, and trusted. But he betrayed me in the worst possible way.
Then there’s Michael. The only person like me I’ve ever met. Yet I’ve lost him, too.
There is no more together.
I glance at Sophie. I wasn’t kidding about wanting to learn to drive. It’s like sword fighting; something physical I can do to take care of myself. But this is ridiculous. There’s no point prolonging her torture. ‘Hey,’ I say. ‘I might watch the road from my room. There’s a window there and—’
Her eyes widen. ‘What? No, you don’t have to do that.’
‘I think, maybe, that I do. Thanks, though, for having me sit with you.’ I smile, because I’m genuinely grateful.
A line appears between her brows. ‘I’d like you to stay, if that’s all right, my l—Emelia.’
‘Really? Because I know it’s weird, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.’
One corner of her mouth curves, and her blue gaze flicks my way. ‘It is weird, if you don’t mind my saying. But good weird. Please, stay.’
I grin. ‘Okay. Are you hungry?’
‘Hungry?’ Another azure glance. ‘Sure. I mean, yes, I am. But I need to keep driving.’
‘I’m going to make myself a sandwich. Do you want one?’
‘Really?’ She’s frowning again. Shit. Maybe I’ve screwed up. Maybe I’m overthinking this.
‘Really. I’ll be back in a few minutes.’ I leave the cockpit, heading downstairs. My parents are sitting together talking, while Varin reclines on one of the velvet sofas, polishing a dagger. They all look up as I appear, my mother smiling.
‘Everything all right?’
‘Yep. Just hungry.’ I head over to the kitchen, quickly making sandwiches and putting them in the press. A delicious scent of melted cheese fills the coach.
‘Those smell almost good enough to eat.’ Varin comes up beside me, reaching for a blood pouch from the storage box.
‘You want one?’ I open the toaster, pulling the sandwiches out and cutting them.
He laughs. ‘No, thank you.’ He strolls away, all fluid grace. I try not to watch.
‘They’ll get cold if you don’t eat them soon.’ My father, a twinkle in his eye, winks at me.
Blushing, I grab the sandwiches and head upstairs again.
* * *
‘Oh.’ It’s an intake of breath rather than a word, full of yearning.
We’re trundling along a broad, deserted highway, the road curving downwards, the land rising to one side.
But Sophie’s focus isn’t on the road; rather, it’s higher.
Almost at the crest of the hill is a jumble of huge stones.
It’s somehow familiar. I rack my brains.
‘Oh my God!’ I squeak. ‘That’s Stonehenge. It’s really, really old! We should stop!’
‘Yeah.’ Another word carried on a breath. Sophie changes gears, slowing the coach down.
‘I’ll be back.’ I leave the cabin, taking the stairs to the living room two at a time.
‘Is everything all right?’ My father surges up from the sofa, hand to his hip as though he’s wearing his sword.
‘It’s fine.’ I pause, catching my breath. ‘I just … Stonehenge is out there, and I want to see it up close.’
My father grins. ‘We can stop wherever you like.’
I race back upstairs. Sophie has already pulled off the highway, taking a narrow road that curves back around in the direction of the monument. I can’t see it anymore. Then it appears again, larger this time, the huge stones greyish-brown against the grass.
‘This road should probably be more choked off than this,’ Sophie says. ‘And the forest … it should have taken over.’ Tension threads her voice.
‘Humans still come here, don’t they.’ It’s not a question.
‘They have been, for millennia,’ Sophie says. ‘And now we get to do it, too.’
A few minutes later she pulls to a stop. The wide plain is green and brown, hills rising in the distance, the dark mass of the forest all around. The sky is gold and grey, wind ruffling the grass. Which is trimmed and tidy around the stones, as though there’s still a guardian of this place.
We head downstairs. My parents and Varin are already in the next room, the door closed against any stray fingers of light. I knock as I go past. ‘We’ll be back soon.’
Sophie opens the coach door, and we step out. For a moment we just stand there. It’s so still, so quiet. So wide open. Then she takes my hand and we run towards the towering stones. We slow as we get close, walking between the grey uprights into the circle itself.
The air in here is still, despite the breeze cutting across the plain. It feels … ancient. And very, very human. My chest aches, a pressure building I can’t ease.
‘Wow.’ Sophie turns, her phone out, panning around the ruins.
‘There’s still power here,’ I say.
‘Yeah. And to think humans built this, all those years ago.’
We perch on one of the central stones, taking it all in. I try to imagine what it must have been like when people came here to celebrate. Something to do with the sun, I think I read once. No wonder vampires don’t bother coming here.
Sophie puts her phone away and sits back, her hands braced against the grey stone. Her blue gaze is distant, and I wonder what she’s thinking. It feels comfortable, though, sitting here together. Just two girls, perched on a rock.
‘Can I ask you something?’ Sophie’s voice breaks the silence.
‘Sure. Ask me whatever you want.’
‘What’s it like, being the Raven?’
‘Huh.’ I’m not sure how to answer. I decide to be honest. ‘I didn’t want it, at first. I even ran away.’
‘You didn’t?’
‘I shouldn’t be telling you this. Sorry.’ I’m an idiot. At least I had a choice to leave. No other humans have that.
‘That’s not what I was thinking.’
‘It’s not?’
‘No. I was thinking I get it. It would be terrifying, to have that power handed to you.’ She glances my way. ‘I couldn’t do it.’
‘I’m sure you could.’
Sophie shakes her head, looking down, her mouth curving. After a pause she speaks. ‘I know what you’re trying to do. I heard about it, on the news. How you want to help humans.’
‘You do?’ I don’t know why I’m surprised. It’s a regular story on vampire news rounds, always with a faint undertone of derision. My mother made a statement, saying that she and my father fully supported my desire to improve human conditions, but it hasn’t changed much.
‘Why do you want to do that?’
‘What?’
‘You heard me.’ She grins, then her expression becomes serious. ‘It’s a huge job, Emelia.’
I stare across the wide plain, the grass rippling like a green sea. ‘I lived in the Safe Zone for a while. And I saw how things were.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. I was … things were happy there, for me. But it was an illusion. My world is one of darkness, true. But it’s one where I get to travel, learn about whatever I like, have every material thing I could wish for.
I get to live a life. Make a difference.
And it seems remarkably unfair that other humans don’t. That they’re just—’
‘—cattle.’ At my glance, Sophie shrugs. ‘We all know that’s what we are. Useful in some ways, but in the end we’re all just food.’
Like it or not, we are the meat. Words spoken in a human dining room come back to me, as I gaze into the undulating green.
‘I can’t change that,’ I say. ‘I wish I could. But there has to be a better way of doing things. Of living together.’
We sink into silence, listening to the rush of wind between the stones.
‘Speaking of food…’
I brace myself, wondering what Sophie’s going to say.
‘I still can’t believe you offered Varin a toasted sandwich the other day.’ She giggles.
My mouth drops open. ‘What?’
‘I don’t blame you. His hotness is very distracting.’
I start giggling as well. I’m still blushing about it, to be honest. Sophie hadn’t been able to stop laughing when I returned to the cabin, red-faced.